NOVEMBER 4, 1940

HYDE PARK, Sunday—I drove to New York City yesterday but I hardly had time to look out of the car because so much work had piled up on my desk. I had worked Friday night until two in the morning, but there was still much to be done so I took my checkbooks with me and balanced them on the way to New York. I also read my papers on the way and a speech Mr. Antonini had made at a labor party meeting, which I was very glad to see.

We stopped at the Concourse Plaza Hotel on the way to the city. I had the pleasure of attending for a few minutes, the luncheon for the Bronx County workers, with Mr. Edward J. Flynn and various other officials. These women work hard, not only during campaigns, but through the rest of the year. I am always happy to have the opportunity to thank them for what they do.

From there I went to lunch with a friend and met Mrs. William H. Good and Mrs. Henry Wallace at the Biltmore Hotel. I went with them to greet the women of the New York Women's Democratic Club. Then we were off behind a police escort to the lunch which the Queens County women workers were having. Our escort was extremely good and we made our trip in record time, though once or twice we held our breath when we skimmed past a car which did not stop.

In Queens there was a large and enthusiastic crowd. The presiding officer remembered our first meeting together in 1925, which was very pleasant for there is something very warming in reminiscing about work done many years ago. Mrs. Caroline O'Day and I can go back to the early days of women's participation in party work. Miss Harriet May Mills, was the pioneer worker and Mrs. O'Day helped her, and I later helped Mrs. O'Day. It is good now to see how useful these women have become and how secure they feel in their ability to be of service to the party.

By 4:45 we were at the Hotel Roosevelt to attend a meeting for the Independent Voters, over which Mrs. Edgerton Parsons presided. More people came than could get into one room, so Mrs. Lehman, Mrs. Wallace and I went to a second room, where Mr. Morris Davidson presided over the overflow meeting.

Here, again, there seemed to be much enthusiasm. Whatever happens on Election Day, I feel sure of one thing, that many people have given their services in this campaign and will vote for the President because of real devotion to the program for which he has stood in the past few years.

On the way home I stopped for a few minutes to see my cousin, Mrs. Henry Parish, and then Mrs. Dorothy McAllister, her daughter, Mary and Mrs. John Herrick and I drove back to Hyde Park. It was dark, so again I could not see much of the country.

This morning, however, I lay on my bed on the porch and watched the sun come out, the gray clouds roll away and the few remaining leaves drifting lazily down from the trees. I was glad for the peace and quiet of the country and for the knowledge that there is so much beauty in the world at all times and with each day there comes fresh opportunity.